DigiTech Whammy (5th Gen) Pedal Review

There are few pedals as
iconic—and instantly
recognizable—as the DigiTech
Whammy. Many players originally
cast it aside as a novelty
effect, but the pedal found its
purpose and realized its potential
with a new breed of guitarists
in the mid and late ’90s
that recognized its expressive
pitch-shifting capabilities as an
avenue for sculpting new, otherworldly
tones.

The pedal has gone through
several revisions and build
changes since its inception,
but real pitch-shift connoisseurs
still turn their gaze back
to the pedal that started it
all, the coveted and highly
regarded WH-1. And the fifth-generation
Whammy reviewed
here gets ever so close to the
original’s famed sound, while
packing in some much-needed
modern updates.

Wham Bam, Thank
You, Ma’am
With a depth of 7 3/4" and
length of 6 1/2", the newest
issue of the Whammy is
closer in terms of look and
size to the original than the
fourth-generation model.
This might not seem like
something worth mentioning,
but if you’ve ever played an
original Whammy, it’s kind of
a big deal. They were pretty
small pedals, which gave them
a very different—some say
more immediate—feel beneath
the player’s foot. Under the
hood, the pedal’s pitch-shifting
algorithms have been updated
for smoother response. The
update also includes true-bypass
switching and 9V DC
power-supply operation so
the pedal can finally run off
of the power bricks on most
pedalboards without a special
adapter. There are also four
additional Whammy modes
taken from the Whammy DT
pedal. And a polyphonic pitch-shifting
mode has been added
too, just in case you don’t like
the Whammy’s chaotic, glitchy
reaction when playing chords
(don’t fret noisemakers, you
can switch between the two).
The Whammy IV’s drop-tune
mode has been scrapped, along
with the dedicated dry-output
jack, though you can achieve
the same effect using the new,
2nd DN mode.

Pitch Perfect
Many—including DigiTech
themselves—have tried for
years to capture the same
magic of the first Whammy.
And doubtless, many will find
that the Whammy V gets the
closest. Employing a Les Paul
Custom and a Mesa/Boogie
Dual Rectifier, there was a
perceptible improvement in the
smoothness of the pedal’s pitch
bending as I moved up and
down through the octave-up
mode. There were no hiccups
anywhere in the sweep. And
as I moved down the neck
to try and confuse the pedal
and upset the tracking with
low, guttural notes, the effect
remained slick and very precise.

The harmony modes are
excellent, and offer up a smorgasbord
of wild, dual-guitar
lead possibilities, thickened
single-note drones, and
oddball, dissonant textures.
Creative possibilities aside, you
can still hear digital artifacts
in the harmony mode. When
I would play a melody and
shift up or down, then move
to where the previous notes
had been shifted, there was
a slight, digital sheen to the
attack. You don’t lose all the
warmth though, and I don’t
recall using a Whammy
that was this natural
and smooth sounding
since the years I
owned an original
Whammy II.

In the polyphonic
mode,
the pedal handles
simple and complex
chords with ease.
Throwing a 9th
chord or tritone
in the mix can
induce a little glitching for
just a fraction of a second, but
generally only when playing fast
rhythms. DigiTech also made
a wise decision by adding the
Whammy DT’s 5th and 4th
interval-up, and 2nd, 4th, and
5th interval-down modes to the
pitch-shift menu, and they yield
some seriously sick tones when
you slowly shift one chord
down or up to another.

The Verdict
Through five design iterations,
the Whammy has added
new dimensions and textures
to countless songs. And for
all intents and purposes, the
Whammy V is one of the best
Whammys to bear the name.
With the addition of true
bypass, a slightly smaller and
more comfortable footprint,
and tighter shifting programming,
it’s a real winner—and
still one of the most fun and
interesting pedals you can add
to your arsenal.

A native of the Pacific Northwest, Jordan grew up traveling the country as the son of theater technical directors and speech instructors. His exposure to the performing arts early on helped foster his love for music and attention to detail, and upon receiving his first guitar at age 15, he became hooked. Jordan brings a considerable background of gear knowledge and tech experience to Premier Guitar, and has contributed an extensive amount of articles, artist interviews and Rig Rundown videos since late 2008. He lives in the Iowa City area, where he also works to bring music education initiatives to both local and regional communities.

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